The Study Of Fromm’s Survival Thought

Erich Fromm is an American psychologist and psychoanalyst.In his system of doctrine,the thought of survival occupies an important position.In Fromm’s view,survival mode not only reflects the individual’s living conditions,but also reflects the status and level of social development.Survival mode is not only an issue of values,but also an issue of ethics and psychology.Fromm’s thought is deeply influenced by Marx and Freud.Marx’s alienated labor theory and Freud’s psychoanalytic theory constitute important theoretical sources of his survival thought.Fromm divides survival mode into two types: the mode of heavy possession and the mode of heavy existence.Fromm profoundly reveals the social psychology and character characteristics of heavy possession,as well as the negative effects of heavy possession on all levels of society.On this basis,Fromm believes that it is necessary to shape a proactive mode of survival with "freedom","creativity" and "love" as the core demands,and to promote the construction of a new society through reforms at the political,economic and cultural levels,and to cultivate the new person with ideas of survival mode.By doing so,it is effective to eliminate the negative effects caused by alienation,objectification and fetishism,and to transcend the survival mode of heavy possession.Fromm’s denial and criticism of the survival mode of heavy possession and the advocacy and assumption of the survival mode of heavy existence have positive enlightenment significance for the spiritual civilization construction of our society and the all-round development of human beings.However,Fromm’s survival thought also has obvious limitations.He lacks historical materialism.Although he recognizes that the generalization of the survival mode of heavy possession is the result of the development of private ownership,he ignores and downplays the decisive role of the economic foundation in social change.The social reform plan he proposes is out of touch with reality and has a strong utopian color,making it difficult to become a reality.